Sunday, February 20, 2011

1. Targeting The foundation that underpins sales prospecting success is the strength of your list and the precision of your targeting. Salespeople often call too low in the organization and try to start a groundswell by working their way up. Reach high to the decision-makers. Make sure that your list is clean and ready to go before you start, or you'll find that your day is lost in fits and starts.

2. Value in Every Touch When you sell, no one wants to hear your capability pitch, your history, or your life story right off the bat. They're looking to find out how their lives can be enriched by working with you.

When you think about providing value, don't just think about the value you will eventually provide when they buy from you. Think about the value they'll get just from speaking with you. Eventually you'll sell your company, your offering, and yourself. At first, sell the idea that the prospects' time will be well-spent if they elect to speak with you.

3. The Right Offer Your ultimate offer might be a particular type of software, technical instrument, building materials, financial product, operations plan, marketing tactic, etc. But the interim offers -- the offers you make and they accept before they buy from you -- must be crafted with the utmost care.

4. No Tricks Plenty of business success awaits you with your high-integrity approach. There is no need to use tricks, bend the truth, or cut corners to generate an initial conversation. Anything that you wouldn't feel comfortable telling your children about when you tuck them in bed at night, leave out of your sales prospecting techniques.

5. Multiple Touches It takes more attempts than most people think to get through to top prospects. It can often take seven, eight, nine, or more touches to get through to someone. That number goes up and down across different industries and when you reach out to different titles. What's always true, though, is that it takes more attempts to get through to your targets than you think.

6. Variety of Touches Cold calling works well alone, but it works even better with mail (yes, we are talking snail mail here) and e-mail touches. Use a variety of touches to reach out and warm up your prospects -- and make sure each touch has value in and of itself.

Adhere to these 6 keys and you'll be well on your way to prospecting success. At the very least, you'll be leaps and bounds ahead of the estimated 50% of salespeople who will not prospect at all.